The Runaway Autobot
by Written Parody
Summary: Some parents just don’t know when to stop interfering. So what happens when Lori’s dad breaks apart one of the dearest things to her? Can she fight him with her trademark spirit or is submitting the only thing she can do? CobyxLori
1. Chapter 1

Before you all attack me with various sharp and blunt objects, let me just say that I _know _I'm behind on updating both my other fanfictions. ButI was brutally assaulted by Saberstorm and made to do this fic while held at shoe point.

Honestly…

Ok, so maybe I wasn't. But is it my fault I like CobyxLori so much my brain came up with this fic? Or that my muse only started working after Saberstorm PM'd me about the Coby and Lori community? I think not. It's out of my control. Mostly. So anyway, here's the mini-fic that I managed to suck out of my thumb in record time. The scene it revolves around is by far one of my absolute favourites and it's from a movie called The Runaway Bride. But I hope it's up to some form of standard…

**Disclaimer: **I do not own either Transformers or the movie The Runaway Bride.

**Note: **This fic is based on the Transformers: Cybertron series.

* * *

**Chapter One**

He couldn't hear his own footsteps over the music that was blaring in his ears. He didn't know if he liked the harsh music yet, and so he was playing the song over and over, until he decided. Having played it enough times already to know the tune to the chorus he started humming along to it, absently flicking his blond fringe out of his eyes as he continued down the passage. He passed a window and absently looked into it, catching a glimpse of a tall teen with green eyes with a beanie hiding most of his blond hair before he looked away, uninterested.

He finally neared his destination; two big double doors not unlike the others that lead off the corridor. He switched his MP3 Player off whilst simultaneously nudging open one of the doors with his shoulder. The silence of the place seemed even quieter after his blaring music and his ears welcomed the small noises that made the stillness incomplete.

"Hey Coby."

He directed his greeting to the only other boy in the room who was currently seated at a table with his nose buried in some or other mechanical part. At his brother's voice he looked up, startled and confused. He looked at his watch, his eyebrows pulling together and Bud hastily explained.

"I came early. There was nothing to do."

"Oh. Jeez for a moment there I thought I was running late," Coby replied, relieved.

Bud rolled his eyes and straddled a second chair watching his older brother fiddle with the many wires of the object in front of him. Coby had let his hair grow out a little, making him look much more attractive but also annoying him by hanging in his eyes a great deal. He had most definitely grown up from the twelve-year-old boy he had once been, both physically and emotionally. Bud sighed regretfully to himself as he remembered the times a few years ago when Coby had still been afraid of ghosts. It had been so much fun…

"So what did you do today that it was so boring?" Coby broke through his thoughts.

Bud suddenly became weary, although Coby was too busy to notice.

"Nothing much," the younger boy replied carefully. "I hung around with Jolt, played some video games, watched some TV; the usual."

Coby was very perceptive to some things. One of them was his brother's tones. He knew immediately something was up and his eyes shot up to Bud's face, trying to read it.

"Oh? Was Mom home all day?"

Bud, aware what Coby was trying to do, looked away.

"Yea. She was there but we didn't speak much," he replied, making sure Coby knew it wasn't a fight with their mother that was bugging him. "She was speaking on the phone most of the time."

"Uh-huh…"

Coby was still suspicious, but he knew his brother; Bud would spill when he was ready. He therefore turned back to his work. Bud rocked his chair for a little bit before turning to his brother again. He watched Coby very carefully, waiting for a reaction to his over-casual remark.

"So, uhm… Lori's coming home tomorrow."

Coby stiffened as if someone had made his muscles lock together. Bud winced and wished he hadn't said anything. Coby was aware of his brother's gaze and so he kept his face expressionless even as he was able to unlock his muscles and start working again.

"Oh."

"Just thought… You know…" Bud mumbled, shrugging and looking at the ground.

"Thanks Bud," Coby said calmly, seeming quite genuine; it was better to hear it from Bud then to find out form his parents.

Or worse, to not find out at all until she walked in with…

Bud saw the flash of emotion on his brother's face and quickly started babbling about other, unimportant things. By the time they left, Coby was relaxed again.

***

Hot Shot really liked Bud's new music.

"This stuff is golden!" he announced as he cruised down the main street with Coby and Bud as passengers.

Coby was unconvinced but didn't complain as he could see Bud, as well as Hot Shot, was warming to the music. He'd endure it in silence, especially seeing as Hot Shot was doing him a favour by agreeing to get the two Hansen boys to their weekly ice-cream quicker and with less chance of injury. However, he couldn't deny relief when they stopped outside the café and the music was turned off.

"Coby Hansen!" a male voice called, quite shocked.

"Oh hey, Mr Freeland. How's the retired life treating you?"

Coby stopped to talk to his old teacher and Bud, drawn by curiosity, stopped too.

"Fine, just fine," the man replied, casting a look at Hot Shot as he stood in a parking space just next to Coby and Bud. "Er… Was it you driving that car?"

"Uh… yea," the teen replied, opting for the easiest answer.

"Oh… Well… I…" Mr Freeland looked flustered. "Er… How old are you now, Mr Hansen?"

"Turning eighteen in four months," Coby replied, wondering why on earth the man was asking.

Mr Freeman's face cleared.

"Well! That old already? So then you'll be looking for a job soon?"

"Already got one," Coby grinned, fingering the key in his pocket.

"Marvellous! Well, I'd better be off. Sorry for the cross-examination; I didn't realize you had your licence."

"Not that not having one ever stopped him," Hot Shot snorted and Coby banged on his bonnet to make him shut it.

Mr Freeman shot Hot Shot an alarmed look and then walked off, looking rather confused.

"Nice going," Coby laughed.

"Look on the bright side," Bud replied. "You still look and act like you're fourteen."

Coby thumped him too.

***

"Bud, go and wake your brother up, please," Mrs Hansen sighed as she entered the kitchen.

Bud looked up from his comic with his spoon full of cereal halfway to his mouth.

"Aw but Mom, I'm just getting to the good part. Can't you?"

Mrs Hansen glowered and began attacking the breakfast dishes with more brutality then was needed.

"Never mind; going," Bud replied hastily, understanding what was going on.

Out of escort of the kitchen he began to chuckle. Would his mother _ever _learn? She was just so adamant that she, as Coby's mother, should be able to do it. She took her failures as a personal insult. She just wouldn't accept the fact of Coby's sleeping patterns. She had grudgingly admitted defeat with Tim, who could sleep through an entire war with ease and she found her youngest son a pure joy because he was as light a sleeper as she was. And she knew that Coby was in-between his brothers; a heavy sleeper except for a few things that could wake him in an instant. But try as Bud may, he could never get his mother to understand that neither her voice nor her touch were one of the things that could actually wake Coby.

His voice, on the other hand, was a different story.

He didn't need to be quiet as he loped towards Coby's room and he didn't try and stop the door from banging against the wall as he opened it. He knew Coby wouldn't even stir from these noises. Looking at his sleeping brother he grinned, picked up a shoe, and flung it at Coby. Nothing. So being hit with a shoe was another thing to add to his "Can't wake Coby Up" list. His last addition to the list had been full-blast heavy metal music.

"Co, time to get up," Bud said in a normal voice.

Coby stirred and opened his shocking green eyes.

"Whazzappening?" he asked groggily.

"Breakfast," Bud replied, trying not to laugh at Coby's bed-head.

Coby processed this for a moment and then asked, "Did mom…?"

"Yea. She's starting to think you were swapped at birth or something."

Coby pulled a face, feeling sorry for his mother. If he could choose, he would make it that his mother was able to wake him. As it was he had no say and had to live with his mother's disappointment.

"Don't eat my bacon again," Coby warned as he got out of bed and stretched.

Bud's eyes widened and he quickly turned to go. Coby caught his brother's expression.

"BUD!"

"It was all nice and crispy!" Bud defended himself.

Coby chucked the same shoe back at his brother.

"You suck," he announced.

"Family sucks sometimes," Bud defended himself primly. Then, before he could stop himself, he mumbled, "Parents tend to suck the most."

Coby turned away.

***

The sun's intense heat from its position directly in the middle of the sky didn't reach them in the coolness of the Autobot's base. Bud was the epitome of relaxation as he sprawled across a couch they had found on its way to the dump because the leather was worn. The Autobots all milled around doing their own specific tasks or lounged around and chatted to Bud. The sounds were peaceful too; conversation, laughter, heavy footsteps, computer keys and the slight buzzing noise of one of Coby's tools as he fixed something for the Transformers.

Even so, everybody knew of Lori's return that day and there was a tinge of apprehension in the air they all desperately tried to ignore.

"You seriously did that? What did Tim say?" Jolt asked in wonder.

"He threw a fit. How was I supposed to know that stuff cost over a thousand rand a litre? If Coby hadn't stopped him I think he might have actually strangled me."

Hot Shot roared with laughter and Override shook her head.

"Oh Bud," she sighed, hiding her amusement. "What are we going to do with you?"

"Send him to a zoo. I hear they're looking for rare breeds of monkey," a familiar voice said.

Bud sat up quickly and swivelled around to face the door, as did everybody else.

"Lori!" he yelled, a grin breaking across his face at the sight of her.

Lori was grinning back, her violet eyes bright as she held open her arms. Bud leapt up and hugged her, forgetting his apprehension and what had happened in his joy of seeing her again. The Autobots all called happy hellos, especially Override, but they, unlike Bud, were still all cautious; most of them did not know the whole story.

"Yes, well this is the Autobots' base," the voice of Lori's father came. "The main control room is through here."

He appeared in the doorway, looking the same as ever, and gestured around the room to his companion. Bud stiffened entirely when he saw the man's companion. It was a teenage boy Coby's age with brunette hair and hazel eyes. One couldn't deny that he was handsome, and it took just one look at his clothes to tell he was filthy rich too.

"It's a nice place," he said in a deep voice. "Very nice mechanics."

He looked around appreciatively, not seeming to notice Bud's hostility or Lori's sudden embarrassment.

"Ah Bud! Nice to see you again."

Bud only nodded at Lori's father, not trusting himself to speak.

"I'd like to introduce you to someone," he went on, clapping the brunette on the shoulder. "Everyone, this is Clint." He paused for a few moments. "He's Lori's fiancé."

Lori's hands clenched into fists but nobody else moved. You could taste the shock as it rolled off of everybody and a pin dropping would have been as loud as a bomb.

"Fiancé?" Hot Shot finally had to ask; just to make sure it wasn't a bizarre joke.

"Oh yes," Lori's dad said with a smile. "Didn't you hear that he and Lori got together?"

"Yes, we did," Optimus Prime replied. "We just weren't aware it was… Er…"

"This bad," Hot Shot finished for him, causing Optimus to shoot him a warning look.

"Well it was nice seeing you all again," Lori's father went on as if he hadn't heard Hot Shot. "but we must really get going. Lots of wedding arrangements to make."

"I'll see you guys later," Lori whispered before she left with her father and Clint.

Nobody said anything. The only sound was that of retreating footsteps and the opening and closing of doors. Then a car engine started and with the faintest sound of crunching gravel they were gone. Bud suddenly realized that it was too silent. He turned and looked at the open door that lead to the room Coby was busy working in. As if they sensed Bud's gaze the sounds of Coby working started up again. Wordlessly Bud walked over to the door and hovered in the doorway.

Coby was sitting on the floor, his face expressionless and every muscle in his body looking ready to snap. His green eyes were dull and full of something that made a lump rise in Bud's throat. He wanted, _needed_, to say something, but he had no clue what. He had no words to make that much pain go away.

"Coby?" he asked softly.

"What?" Coby's voice was harsh and it bit into Bud.

The younger boy flinched at the snap at the same time Coby sighed and closed his eyes.

"Sorry," he mumbled to his younger brother.

Bud didn't need to forgive him and so he just left, unable to do anything else. Coby continued to work. Fixing yet another broken thing but unable to fix what he wanted to.

"What's the full story?" Optimus asked Bud as he sat back down on the couch.

"Lori's dad thought that Coby and Lori were just friends who were pretending to be more, just for the status. He thought they barely ever hugged let alone kissed. When he found out he was wrong, he nearly blew his top. He didn't like the idea that they have been together for so long. He didn't like the idea of Coby." Bud scowled deeply. "And so he took his wife and daughter away on holiday so Lori could meet 'proper gentlemen'. Clint is the son of a friend and Lori's dad loves everything about him. Bottom line of the story is he used many methods to get Lori and Clint together. Not even I knew he got them _engaged _too." He stopped and shook his head.

"How could he do that to his daughter?' Override was appalled. "Is he after the money or what?"

"I don't think so. Apparently, Clint is a really nice guy." The words tasted sour in his mouth. "Lori's dad just isn't ready to see his little girl grow up her way. He wants to plot her life for her so she stays near him and still obeys his rules."

"If you love your daughter, force her to get married at seventeen," Hot Shot spat sarcastically.

"Can't she do anything about it?" Jolt asked worriedly.

"Lori is still a minor," Optimus replied heavily. "And from what I've heard Lori's dad has quite a few ways to make sure Lori doesn't fight him."

"If you love your daughter, blackmail her and make her get married at seventeen." Hot Shot was practically dripping sarcasm.

Override looked over her shoulder at the door where Coby was. A constant drone told them he was still working, this time with a noisier machine. She dropped her voice anyway.

"How's Coby taking it?" she asked softly.

Bud grimaced. He didn't have to say anything; that one facial expression said it all.

"The worst is, he's kinda blaming himself. Not really for the whole Clint thing coz he knows he did nothing wrong but for how he's reacting towards it. Every time he snaps at us he hates himself for it. It eats him up."

Bud stared miserably at the floor.

"Why can't grown-ups just understand that we do know some things? Sure we may not be as smart as they are, but we know emotions. We know how to love. Why can't they just let us?"

Nobody had any reply to that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"I cannot believe we're doing this _again_," Lori seethed.

She was standing at the one end of a long, royal purple carpet. On either side of her were rows of chairs, most unoccupied. The ones at the back were much bigger as they held the Autobots. To her direct left was Bud, standing by a camera on a tripod and looking bored.

"What is the _point _of this?" she asked one of the girls standing in front of her.

"Clint wants to make sure everything's perfect," the girl said timidly, afraid of Lori's expression.

"We've done this eight times over the past two weeks!" Lori snapped in frustration, throwing up her hands.

"Clint just w… wants the wedding to be p…perfect," the girl stuttered.

Lori folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes. She didn't see Bud crack a slight grin at her expression. The grin vanished quickly, however, as Clint strode into the clearing a minute later.

"Oh wow!" he said enthusiastically. "This place is looking great."

He smiled and looked around the arches of flowers, the rows of trees and the altar directly behind where he stood. The wedding was set to take place in a clearing in the woods just behind Lori's house, something she wasn't too happy about. Then again, she was happier about the venue of the wedding then she was about the whole idea of the wedding.

"Camera man, how's your angle looking? Ready to shoot the real thing in a few days, not just the rehearsals?" Clint beamed at Bud.

Bud gave him a smile that looked very painful.

"I still don't know how I got dragged into this," he muttered darkly. "I hope something exciting happens."

"And by exciting you mean…?" Hot Shot whispered over to him.

"I dunno, a wasp's nest falling on his head, a wild animal suddenly rushing up and mauling him…" Bud shrugged and a few of the Autobots chortled.

"Right now we just have to fix the lights above the altar," Clint went on, looking up at the said lights. "Luckily the local mechanic said he's have one of his workers come over and do it today."

Bud suddenly gasped and froze.

"Oh please no," he moaned. "Please, _please,_ let the guy coming to fix the lights not be…"

"Coby, isn't it?" Clint interrupted Bud's plea and the young boy slammed his hands into his head in misery.

Coby just stood stock-still and for the first time in his life he looked like he'd rather be anywhere else on earth then there about to fix something. Lori was pointedly talking to another one of her bridesmaids, her face pink. Coby swallowed and then resolutely walked towards the lights. He avoided meeting anyone's gaze, but they could see he did not want to be there at all.

"Alright people, let's start this rehearsal!" Clint called and a guy rushed towards the piano.

The bridesmaids all tittered and formed a line in front of Lori and Clint took his position in the front by the altar, a place that was nearly directly under Coby. Bud saw this and wished his brother wasn't a kind person so he'd drop something on that smug twit's head.

The music began and the bridesmaids all floated forwards, smiling and graceful. Lori's cue came but she only took two steps before she shook her head and stopped.

"I can't do this," he said raising her hands.

"Of course you can hunny!" Clint exclaimed.

Lori just shook her head, running a hand through her long, black hair.

"Look, I'll do this with you to show you how easy it is," Clint said striding over to where Lori stood. "Now I'm going to be behind you all the time, leading you along. So you don't have to be scared. It's a very little walk, you just have to be focused. You just need to walk until…" he paused and frowned. "Coby?"

Coby unwillingly turned towards him, silent and thinking that no amount of money was worth this.

"Could you please stand down there so Lori can see how far she has to walk?" Clint asked.

Coby raised an eyebrow but reluctantly obeyed, still silent.

"Now Lori," Clint turned his attention back to her. "Pretend that's me up there"-Bud let out a snort of laughter-"and head towards him." He pointed to Coby and Lori finally had to meet his gaze. "That's me up there. That's the man you're going to marry."

Those seven words seemed to have an impact on Lori as she suddenly stopped squirming and met Coby's gaze now unflinchingly, with slightly wider eyes. The piano music started up again and Clint started pushing Lori forward. But Lori, it seemed, didn't need any prompts. She wordlessly moved forward, in perfect time to the music, her eyes locked onto Coby's.

"You see? It's easy," Clint said as they reached the front of the aisle.

Lori didn't reply; her eyes were still locked with Coby's. Clint moved around them to the spot the preacher was going to take.

"Alright so then you'll be up here with me and the priest will say his whole long speech and then he'll say. 'You may now kiss the bride'. Then the music will start up again and- Lori?"

Lori hadn't moved, but there was a strange new expression on her face. Bud, sitting at the back, couldn't see exactly what it was, not even with his camera on its full zoom. Apparently Clint didn't like it much, because his voice was very worried.

"What is she _doing_?" Lori's mother hissed, trying to see her daughter's face.

"L… Lori?" Clint tried again, still worried. "The priest is going to say you can kiss your groom and then…"

This repeat of the line was all it took. As soon as the word kiss left Clint's mouth Lori took one tiny step forward. That tiny step was all it took for her to be standing right in front of Coby. In the same movement as the step she bent her head back and kissed Coby for all she was worth. For a moment Coby just stood there, utterly stunned, and then he kissed her back in such a way that made her shiver and drop the fake flowers she was using as a bouquet so she could wrap her arms around his neck.

The others all watched this in pure stunned silence for a while before Bud suddenly cracked up laughing, making a few other people jump. His laughter made other people break the silence too. Lori's mother let out a surprised wale and the combined noise seemed to alert Coby and Lori to what they were actually doing. They broke apart and stood staring at each other in dumbfounded silence.

"How long has _that _been going on?" Clint asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Neither Lori nor Coby could say anything, and Clint read the answer out of their silence.

"Right, so it's been going on for a while," he said, still pinching the bridge of his nose.

Then, without warning he suddenly swung his fist straight into Coby's stomach. Even as Coby, caught off guard, pitched forward Lori's mother and father grabbed her and started towing her away. She tried to struggle, but they were stronger then her and both pretty angry and so she lost the battle. Coby managed to catch his breath again and stood upright, wincing slightly, only to be met by Clint's fist.

That was enough for Bud who leapt up and started charging down the aisle to get to his brother. He knew Coby could hold his own in a fight, but he also knew that this time he wouldn't even think of hitting back. But by the time he reached his brother Clint's parents had already stopped their son and were leading him off in the same direction Lori had been led, shooting dark glances back at Coby and murmuring soothing words to their son.

"You OK?" Bud asked, eyeing the blood on Coby's face.

Coby just nodded, wiping it away with the back if his hand before he picked up his toolbox and walked away. Bud watched him go, biting his bottom lip and thinking. An idea suddenly occurred to him and his eyes lit up.

"Oh no," Scattorshot moaned, seeing Bud's face. "What are you up to now Bud?"

"I asked for excitement," Bud replied. "and I got it. So now it's time I worked with it."

***

The parents of both children decided to have a meeting on mutual ground and so Optimus offered the Base as a meeting room. Coby hadn't been seen since the rehearsal that morning and Bud was slightly worried. However, he needed to know one small yet important detail. That detail determined whether his plan would work or fail. And so, when Lori came in followed closely by her parents, Bud was waiting for her.

Both her parents watched her closer then hawks and so he had whisper his question in her ear as she hugged him hello.

"How did it feel?"

He felt her freeze beneath him in surprise, but she recovered quickly and answered honestly as she released the embrace.

"It was the best thing I've felt in weeks."

A slow grin spread across Bud's face as she left. That was what he had wanted to hear.

***

Coby's eyes were full of worry as he stepped inside.

"Bud? What's the emergency? Your text was so vague."

"Sorry, Co, didn't mean to scare you. It's just that the thermal thingy in the storeroom broke again and I remember you said it was kinda important?"

"Oh. Yea it is kinda. Thanks for telling me."

Bud smirked at his brother's retreating back as the elder Hansen disappeared into the storeroom.

"Wasn't it you who broke that thing?" Jolt asked him suspiciously.

"Shh!" Bud replied, casting a nervous glance over his shoulder to where the rest of his family sat.

His mother and father had wanted to apologise to Lori's parents and so they had come to the base to get it over with as soon and as painlessly as possible. Arriving while the meeting was still going on, they opted to wait until it was done. Tim had just come along for lack of something better to do.

About five minutes after Coby had arrived unseen by anybody except Bud and Jolt, the meeting ended and everyone walked out of the room they had been using. The parents were smiling, obviously happy about the agreement that had been made. Lori did not look happy at all. She looked miserable.

Bud went into action as soon as the first person set a foot out of the door. He snatched up his digital camcorder and began playing back a video he had shot the other day. He made himself look very interested in it as his parents started to apologise. His face worked and Lori, not wanting to hear the conversation, walked over to him.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Entry for this competition thing. The ending is right… Aw shoot! It's not here! I have to finish watching this to make sure it's right and send the whole thing in, in like five minutes!"

"Relax," Lori laughed. "I'll go fetch the ending for you. Where did you leave it?"

"It's on a memory card in my bag in the storeroom," Bud relied immediately. "Thanks Lor!" he added as she headed towards it.

She waved back at him to say it was alright and Bud grinned even wider.

Perfect.

***

Lori pushed open the storeroom door and walked inside, glad to be alone for a while. The past few weeks had been a nightmare for her, and just when she was getting used to feeling unhappy and forced to be with someone she barely liked, let alone loved, her heart had started beating again. She couldn't forget how his kiss had felt after so long. She had never let Clint kiss her like that, even though he had tried. And Coby was nowhere near as forceful as Clint. He was gentle and caring and she had felt it right down to her toes.

Sighing she looked around for Bud's bag and heard a noise of something clinking against metal behind her. She spun around with a squeak and came face to face with Coby. Both of them froze, wide-eyed and disbelieving.

"C…Coby… What are you…?"

"Fixing the thermostat," Coby replied, pointing to it with a screwdriver. "And you?"

"Fetching Bud's bag. He needs the ending to his movie."

Coby's eyes narrowed.

"Bud's bag, huh?"

He shook his head.

"What?" she asked, curious at his expression.

"He was the one who told me to come fix this. Called me in especially from across town."

"Oh my gosh he played us…" Lori whispered, a giggle in her voice.

Coby grinned and she saw his eyes light up. He had the means of showing emotion in his green eyes and she knew him well enough to read it. She responded to his grin automatically with one of her own; she couldn't do otherwise. Coby's grin slipped as he remembered the circumstances which they were under. He looked at Lori and remembered everything they had been through together, and she stared back and read the memories in his eyes.

"So what now?" he asked, his voice rough with pain as he asked for information he didn't want. He'd much rather stay in that storeroom with her for the rest of his life then know what was going to happen with her and Clint.

But Lori didn't answer him. At least, not in the way he expected her to. Instead of telling him the outcome of the meeting she looked at him for another moment, then grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him towards her so she could kiss him again. Coby resisted for all of a second before he lost himself in the emotions he had missed so much and that he wanted more then breathing.

***

Meanwhile, Bud had packed his camcorder back into its bag, feeling smug and very happy, as Lori hadn't returned yet after two minutes. That could mean either that her and Coby were talking, which was a good start to things, or that they were doing exactly what Bud wanted them to do.

"Come on, you two, don't let me down," he murmured as he shot a look at the storeroom door. "If your love doesn't conquer anything then no love can."

However, in Bud's planning he had thought his parents would talk to Lori's longer then they turned out doing. He saw Lori's father look around for his daughter and alarm clenched his stomach. What if Lori hadn't made a decision yet? What if they were still talking things through? He thought quickly for a way to stall them.

"Bud, have you seen Lori?" his mother asked him.

"Yea Mom," he replied as casually as he could. "She went to the storeroom to find my memory card for me."

"When was this?" Lori's father asked.

Bud shrugged.

"A couple of minutes ago, I guess. I didn't go after her coz I figured she'd want some time alone to think, you know."

For a moment it seemed it had worked. Then Lori's mother shattered his plans.

"Well, let's just check on her. Optimus, could we use your security camera so we don't have to disturb her?"

Bud tried frantically to sign to Optimus not to do it, but the leader didn't see.

"Of course. Scattorshot, please put the image of the storeroom up on the screen."

Bud could only watch in a kind of fixated horror as Scattorshot obeyed. He suddenly prayed against his earlier wish, hoping that Lori and Coby were just talking… The first thing they saw appearing on the screen was the storeroom door. Bud tried one last time, vainly, to get Scattorshot not to turn the camera. He turned the camera and Bud flinched, ready for the worst.

Well, it could've been worse…

The two teens were moulded close together, their bodies fitting like two puzzle pieces around each other as their lips met in perfect harmony. But their hands were in appropriate places, their kiss not lustful and, Bud thanked his lucky stars, they still had all their clothes on. Of course, none of the parents saw this point of view.

Lori's father marched off at once and they saw him appear on the screen and drag Lori away roughly. They could hear him roaring at her as he dragged her out of the room.

"…second time today! I don't know who you think raised you because I taught you better then this! Acting like a little slut!"

Coby rushed out after the two of them, obviously worried for Lori's safety. But whether Lori would need protecting or not was questionable. There was the beginning of a look on her face that they all knew too well and that would not bode well for her father.

"I will not tolerate you cheating on your fiancé with that piece of scum bast-"

Lori could tolerate her father's harsh words to her, but as soon as he stared on Coby she snapped. She dug her heels so firmly and suddenly into the ground that her father nearly tripped at the abrupt stop. She jerked her wrist out of his grip with more force then they had ever seen her use.

"That's enough," she growled and there was a fierce look on her face and in her eyes that told them she had gotten her fighting sprit back. "You can't rule my life. You're supposed to guide me and help me figure out what I want. And I know what I want! I've wanted it for a long time and before you messed everything up I had it."

"You live in my house and under my rules!" her father bellowed at her. "You have obligations to me and to your mother that you will fulfil-"

"Yes, I have obligations," Lori cut him off. "But they aren't to marry against my will! You can't blackmail me any more, because I'm not going to fall for it! And sure, I'm still only seventeen so I have to listen to you by law but I'm turning eighteen in a few months and then you'll have no power over me. So go ahead, drag me off and try and make me. I'll just need to fight you off for a few months and then I'll come back to Coby. Even if I have to file divorce papers before I do so."

Her father stared at her, too shocked for words, and she stared right back, that look still across her face. She would take on an entire army at that very moment. Her mother suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

"You love him that much?" she asked her daughter quietly.

"More then I can explain, Mom," Lori whispered back, a slight catch in her voice.

Lori's parents looked at each other for a moment, a wave of understanding flowing through them. Suddenly Lori's father grabbed her in a tight hug.

"Oh Lori, I'm so sorry. I didn't know… I didn't realize… I was so selfish. I thought I was doing what was best for- Oh Lori."

She hugged him back, relief and tenderness for her father flowing through her.

"It's OK, Dad. We all make mistakes," she said back.

Then her mother went forward and basically the same thing was repeated. Finally forgiven, her parents looked at Clint and his family.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but we were very wrong. Lori cannot marry your son; her heart belongs to someone else."

Lori and Coby grinned at each other, too light-headed to do anything else. Their joy had no boundaries as they processed the information that their nightmare was over. Clint, however, was not going to take it as passively as his fuming parents. He strode forward and grabbed Lori's hand.

"No! You were promised to me! I'm not going to let you-"

He was cut off by the most surprising thing of that entire day. Clint was stopped, not by Lori's father or his own, who had both started forward, or by Override who raised her arm, ready to bat him out of the way. No, Clint was stopped by something much more unexpected. Coby, peaceful, calm and caring Coby, swung back his fist and connected it with the side of Clint's jaw. Clint staggered backwards and everybody else just stopped and stared, not willing to believe it. Even Coby himself looked slightly surprised at what he had done.

Then Lori laughed and he grinned and kissed her first this time. She didn't complain in the least and deepened the kiss beyond what the previous two had been. Clint and his family left with their pride in tatters and general conversation broke out everywhere, the mood of the place light and charged with electricity.

"Lori!" her dad's voice called over the other voices. "Kindly refrain from being so… enthusiastic with the young man."

A roar of laughter broke out and Lori and Coby broke away, both blushing slightly but not letting go of one another. Lori suddenly grinned and winked secretly to Coby.

"So Dad," she said, over-innocent. "There's already a wedding planned and it would be such a shame to put it to waste…"

His face grew red as he spluttered out, "Absolutely not!"

Coby laughed along with all the others, aware Lori had only been kidding.

"Relax, dear, she was only joking," Lori's mother soothed her husband.

"Yea Coby's gonna have to get everything in order before I'll say yes," Lori said in a snooty voice.

"Hell, I'll be working the rest of my young years to get you the ring you want," Coby said, pretending to be horrified.

"That's the idea," Lori winked.

"Hey, I'd better be invited," Bud interjected warningly.

"Of course. You'll be Coby's best man," Lori said at once.

"You deserve it," Coby agreed, thanking his brother with his eyes.

Bud grinned. He'd gotten the exact ending he had hoped for.

* * *

Well, there we go. All done. Yea it's pretty long and not the best, but I hope some of it made sense and made you feel warm and fuzzy inside at the cuteness of it all. If not, I really have failed. R&R to tell me what ya think, and if you're still alive after reading this, maybe check out this story's prequel titled One Night In A Cave.

Until next time

WP


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